


Skies Over

by solitaryjane



Category: Final Fantasy XII
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-05-17
Updated: 2010-05-17
Packaged: 2017-10-09 13:05:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/87807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/solitaryjane/pseuds/solitaryjane
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Vaan and Penelo are out on a job, and are interrupted by an old friend.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Skies Over

**Author's Note:**

  * For [nan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nan/gifts).



> **Request:**  
> Balthier/Vaan, please! Sky Pirate cohorts, or possibly they split up and have accidentally happened upon each other. I really prefer an oblivious or somewhat naive Vaan, with Penelo being the more level-headed one. UST or discovered feelings are awesome, as well as Balthier deciding that he actually rather enjoys Vaan's company and hey, it's about time Vaan came back under his tutelage. A seductive, pursuing Balthier is very welcome!
> 
> First time writing this pairing and the story might be a bit mild. Many thanks to my beta Chaosraven for being a fabulous Balthier guru. Nan, I hope you enjoy.

**Skies Over**

**   
**

“I’ll have you know, Vaan,” Penelo said, “that this – is not quite what I would comfortably call ‘comfortable.’”

They were crouched behind a pillar in front of one of most notable houses in Archades, stuck halfway between the stone and the ornate gargoyle that decorated the surrounding steps. The space was just a tad too small to fit two people, although Penelo had to admit it suited their purpose well.

“Just hand me the pick,” Vaan whispered. “I got this.”

Penelo sighed. She reached inside her pocket and gave him the lock pick, and watched Vaan squeeze past her and slip toward the front door. _At least he was right about the time of the guard shifts_, she thought, putting a hand on her chin. _So much for just a stroll in the park._

At first he had told her that they were merely going to make a brief stop in Archades. The original letter had come from Balfonheim, promising grand adventure and a hefty sum of gold. They had been dawdling around the Salikawood at the time, so it was logical enough to Penelo for them to take this route. It hadn’t occurred to her that what Vaan had shown her might not be the actual letter, or that his insistence of the existence of a rare monster really wasn’t sound. She figured he was being fickle, as usual; she did not expect that the true target was nowhere near the port, but rather smack in the middle of Tsenoble.

“Are you mad?” she had blurted out as Vaan finally explained a few blocks away from their targeted building. “You want to break in there in plain sight, on the week of the festival?”

“But that’s exactly it,” Vaan had retorted. “Everybody’s so busy celebrating that they won’t notice a thing.”

“And you couldn’t tell me this beforehand?”

“I . . . thought you might disapprove if you knew.”

“Oh, whatever gave you that idea?”

“Come on, Penelo, it’ll be easy. The stone’s right in display in the parlor and as far as I know, nothing fancy’s guarding it.”

In the end, Penelo, although dubious about Vaan’s haphazard plan, decided to follow him in the more than likely event that he needed help – to escape, that was. She was glad the _Strahl_ was at least parked in a safe area not far away. She was equally glad that the streets were just as Vaan had predicted – full of drunken revelers and enough chaos to keep the peacekeepers too busy to notice the likes of them.

As she watched Vaan work at the door, she had the distinct feeling that they weren’t quite as inconspicuous as she hoped to be. She looked around but didn’t see anything unusual, however, her heightened sense from past experience hadn’t been acquired in vain. In retrospect, Penelo realized she should’ve noticed that the shadow from the other gargoyle did not quite match its shape. Right then she was too relieved to see the door creaking open, and Vaan waving for her to come to him.

Penelo did, and they were about to embark on what could have been one of the more spectacular failures of their repertoire when two hands came from behind and snatched both of them by their shirt collars. Before either one of them recovered from the surprise, they were being hauled back off the steps like disobedient puppies.

“Well, what have we here?” a familiar voice said. “A couple of fledgling sky pirates attempting to burgle from the front door. I don’t recall teaching you that. Personally, I would’ve gone through the back.”

*******

“It could have worked!” Vaan protested, standing up from his stool and slamming his palms on the table.

Across from him Balthier lounged in the comfortable booth seat, a half-filled goblet in his hand. He gave Vaan a cursory look before saying, “Yes, should you desire a lengthy prison term and no riches to show for it.”

“There was no one inside that door and no one in the hallways. I checked!”

“Oh? May I ask with whom?”

“I’ve got my sources.” Vaan huffed. Beside him Penelo stirred her soup. She reached up and firmly put a hand on Vaan’s shoulder. 

“Your food’s getting cold,” she said. “Plus, you’re making a scene. Where’s Fran, Balthier?”

They were in a dilapidated bar in Old Archades, surrounded by drunkards, beggars, and prostitutes. Aside from a few Bangaa giving them odd looks when they first walked in, no one paid them much attention. The drinks were nothing to look forward to but the food was decent, and Balthier, in his past visits, had only been drugged once. It had been a failure in any case, for the cutpurse had been negligent and forgot to bind Balthier’s hands. They wouldn’t dare try now with three people at the table. Outside the small windows they could see patrols’ weak firelights – the festival’s increased security.

Vaan at least had the sense to lower his voice and sit back down after Penelo’s not quite gentle warning. Balthier watched the boy focusing on his cut of meat, trying to hide his flushed cheeks.  Truth to be told, Vaan’s stubbornness amused him quite a bit. Even though in their past travels he’d always considered the children (and sometimes that infuriating knight) to be more nuisance than not, he had to admit Vaan had an uncanny knack for timing and extraction from difficult situations. A good sky pirate he could make, when put his mind to it, which, unfortunately, wasn’t often.

“She had an errand to take care of,” Balthier answered Penelo. “None of your concern at the moment, I believe.”

“Why aren’t you with her?” Vaan looked up from his plate.

“I had other things to attend to.”

“Like what?”

“Like,” Balthier leaned over the table, “keeping young people from getting thrown in jail, and subsequently getting my ship confiscated. I take it she is out of sight?”

“Nowhere near here,” Penelo answered.

“Yeah, we walked for a while.” Vaan added. He looked suspiciously at Balthier, meeting his eyes. “How come you know what we were doing anyway?”

“I have my sources,” Balthier replied, a smirk tugging his lips. He watched Vaan gave out an irritated huff and the smirk grew wider. Penelo, who had finished her soup, was now looking around curiously.

“Say, Penelo,” Balthier said. “Would you mind go check on Fran for me? She should be coming up the road soon. I’m positive she can handle herself but a Viera walking at this hour is still quite conspicuous, especially considering what she’s carrying.”

“And what would that be?” Vaan asked.

Balthier said nothing but took a drink from his goblet. Penelo exchanged a glance with Vaan, who shrugged. She stood up from the table, reaching into her pocket in search of coins to pay her bill.

“Oh no, I insist,” Balthier said, raising his goblet. Penelo, after looking a bit startled, nodded politely and walked toward the front of the bar.

*******

“That was surprising,” Vaan said after Penelo had left.

“The leading man has always been known for his generosity,” Balthier replied.

“Right,” Vaan snickered. After a moment of silence he turned his attention back to his plate, picking at the last bits. “So, uh, how long have you been in Archades?”

Balthier set down his goblet. “A few days. Why?”

“Well, why haven’t I seen you around? The place isn’t really that big. You must’ve seen us!”

“I’m not exactly the most popular person in Archades these days. It is better suited for Fran and myself to travel unobtrusively.”

“But there are people who’d want to see you. Ashe would love to, although she hadn’t really been reachable lately. Oh and Larsa, he was just telling Penelo about how he wishes he could still to go on adventures. And of course there’s –“

Vaan stopped abruptly. He looked toward the front, away from Balthier’s bemused expression. “Penelo’s taking a long time. You sure Fran’s really coming?”

“She can take care of herself,” Balthier repeated. He reached out and waved his hand in front of Vaan’s turned-away face. “Something you’d like to tell me, boy?”

Vaan ignored him and instead did a double take when he saw Balthier’s open palm. “Where did you get this?” Vaan asked. He grabbed Balthier’s hand and scrutinized the long jagged scar that ran down the entire length. “Looks like a Bangaa bite.”

Balthier shrugged. “Just a skirmish out in the Sands. Bangaa they were, but they were equipped with more than just bites.” He pulled his arm back, staring thoughtfully at the mark. “Not my best moment.”

“I got a cool scar too.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah, right here.” Vaan tiled his head, pointed to a curved white line at the side of his neck. “Nearly got me killed. I did get 2000 gils, though.”

“Oh indeed?” Balthier said dryly. He reached out once more, gently tracing the line. When he reached the tip he didn’t stop, instead let his fingers follow the curve of Vaan’s neck, and then curled his fingers to grab the boy’s chin. He turned Vaan’s face toward him, met his eyes and watched the boy’s cheeks flush a bright shade of red. Balthier smirked, letting his finger extend to gently touch Vaan’s lips, slightly greasy from the meat he had just consumed. Vaan gasped, made a gesture to pull away but then seem to decide against it, and instead discreetly, playfully, licked the tip of Balthier’s calloused fingers.

Balthier cleared his throat. Vaan opened his mouth to say something, but before anything could come out, they were interrupted by the arrival of Fran and Penelo.

“_What_ do you think you are doing?” said the Viera, with a glare in her eyes.

*******

“Fran!” Balthier stood up quickly. “How nice of you to join us. I assume everything had gone without trouble.”

He pointedly ignored Fran’s look, instead gestured to the wrapped bundle clutched under her arm. Fran shook her head before setting it on the table. Beside her Penelo raised an eyebrow at Vaan, who faked an innocent look, albeit it was fooling no one.

“Your information was surprisingly accurate this time,” Fran said, opening the parcel halfway to reveal a jewel the size of a small fist. It glittered under the lamps, leaving reflections on the rims of the plates and cups nearby.

“Hey!” Vaan jumped up, made a grab for the bundle but missed when Balthier snatched it up. “That’s what _we_ were supposed to get! You – you dragged us away just so you can steal it yourself?”

“I am not willing to let such a treasure fall into the hands of amateurs,” Balthier said. “Regardless, if you had attempted it yourself I have no doubts that you would have set off the alarms. Old Scraggy didn’t tell you about the magic barrier, did he?”

“There was a magic barrier?” Penelo piped up. “Where?”

“Around the jewel stand itself,” Fran answered evenly.

“That does, I mean, it still doesn’t excuse what you did!” Vaan huffed. “So this is why you’re in Archades? This – job?”

“Of course not. I am a sky pirate after all, and I miss my ship. The call just so happened to coincide with our rendezvous, so who am I to refuse? Speaking of which, how would you feel about, oh, tagging along with us for a while. The _Strahl_ is certainly capable of managing a crew of more than two people. Penelo, too.”

Vaan blinked. “Seriously?”

“Well, consider the atrocious way you have handled yourself all through the evening, I proclaim you could use a bit more professional training. You know a moment ago I could have asked you just about anything, and you would have told me the truth.”

Vaan flushed again, letting out some unintelligible stammer. Penelo started to giggle, but was forced to silence herself when Vaan gave her a stern look. He then turned back to Balthier, expression neutral despite the heat on his face. “Maybe so, but you didn’t ask.”

“No,” Balthier said, a smirk on his lips. “I suppose not.”


End file.
